Mera Naam Ron Weasley Hai
by Khalida
Summary: Harry Potter goes Bollywood? Dumbledore, a villian? Ginny, pregnant? Ron can't remember marrying a Hindu muggle and moving to India. He was just 17 years old... Now, he's completely confused.
1. Prologue: Aap Kahan Ho? Or Where Are You

Disclaimer: Seeing as how this is a site for fanfiction, I often wonder as to the point of disclaimers... why do we neccessarily need them? We don't make fanfictions of our own material... that wouldn't make sense. Anyway, I guess I should say is that I don't own the rights to Harry Potter. Nor do I own the characters created and conceived by JK Rowling and Warner Bros. However, I do own the characters Kalpita and Priya Weasley, along with the character Raj Khan and any subsequent characters that have no past relation with the Harry Potter universe. I also have direction ownership of Ghara,the fictional city in India in which this story takes place.

PROLOGUE

"AAP KAHAN HO?"

"This has to be a dream," Ron let out in a groggy daze, massaging the wrinkles on his forehead. Running his left hand through his dulling red hair, he let out a deep sigh, staring around the square in utter confusion. Market stands, women in saris that sparkled with beads and bright pastels, a stray pet rhesus monkey? What was going on here?

"Welcome Shrimaan Weasley!" a bright and chipper voice greeted from behind. The singsong pattern in the speech made Ron freeze in nervous disbelief. Turning slowly, his hands on his forehead, he stared into the ebony colored eyes of a woman. She was perhaps in her mid-twenties, with dark chocolate hair that fell behind her back in a long braid. Her forehead was studded with a shimmering jewel or sindoor, and her body was clothed in an elaborately decorated red sari. Upon meeting Ron's eyes, she sank slowly to the ground, touched the pavement next to his feet with both of her hands and brought them to rest on her forehead and heart.

He stood stock-still as she slowly rose to her feet. Taking his hand, she said, "We have Priya ready for you."

"Priya?" he asked in confusion. The woman only smiled and let out a melodic giggle. She then turned and motioned her hands. At once a young girl came running toward them. She was dressed in a salwar-kameez of blue and gold. Her mahogany skin shown out oddly against her bright red hair. Her large brown orbs that were her eyes stared gleefully up at Ron as she approached. She too sank to the ground and placed her hands next to his feet before touching her hands to her forehead then to her heart.

Rising quickly, her thin lips broke into a beaming smile. "Su prabhat, Papa!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Pardon me?" he let out in positive misunderstanding.

"Oh, Shrimaan Ron, you're always so funny, yaar," the woman giggled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Priya tells you 'good morning.'"

"Oh, so you're Priya?" he asked quietly.

The woman laughed again and bent down to whisper into the young child's ear, "Your father jokes lots, doesn't he, yaar?" Smiling, Priya nodded her head, her red hair fluttering in the breeze.

"Father?" Ron whispered. "Where am I? What's going on?"

Ignoring his inquiries, the woman stood straight and waved at someone who was fast approaching. "Oh, here comes Kalpita!" Ron craned his head toward the woman's gaze and set eyes on a beautiful woman, wrapped in a turquoise sari, a sindoor upon her forehead. Her long black hair was wrapped in two braids atop her head, woven with sparkling jewels.

The woman approached Ron in an air of pure ecstasy, and followed the same ritual of touching her head and heart after sinking to the ground at his feet. She rose to her feet, her copper eyes melting lovingly into Ron's. His mouth hung open slightly, his eyes fighting to settle the confusion.

"You look at me like you've not seen me in your life before, yaar!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "Husband, is something bother you?"

Searching for words, all Ron could speak was, "I beg your pardon?"

"Shrimaan Ron acts very funny today, Kalpita! He plays game that he does not know his family, yaar," the first woman exclaimed in laughter. Patting Ron on the shoulder, she continued, "It's time you take your family home, Shrimaan Ron. Almost time for supper, it is. And Priya is very hungry, yaar."

As they began to walk away, the young girl's hand clasped in his, the woman that was his supposed wife walked beside him, saying, "Sister Ginny has arrive. She came early this afternoon."

"Ginny? My sister?"

"Yes! She comes to visit. Have not seen her for the past two whole years. She arrives from London this afternoon, with her new husband, yaar."

Shocked, Ron quickly asked, "Who is her husband?"

"Oh, we're home! Ron come, you walk like you've never been here before!" she let out, leading him into the doorway of a large estate house.

"See, uh, Kalpita, that's the thing! I've never been here before. I don't even have an inkling as to where 'here' is!" Ron argued in a flutter. Her laughter as they stepped into the household told Ron that she did not believe him. "No, I'm serious. I'm supposed to be in my dormitory at Hogwarts. I'm not supposed to be grown up." In desperation, he cast his eyes about, shouting, "Where's Harry? Harry? Wake me up, Harry! HARRY!"

"Oy, Ron! What are you shouting about?" a familiar voice called out. Turning around in a fit of joy, Ron stared over at his best friend, who stood in the foyer, his black hair tossed wildly over his scarred forehead, his hand clasped tightly with that of Ginny, who had a hand rested on a round and pregnant stomach.

Ginny smiled. "Ron, Harry and I have such good news. We're going to have a baby!"


	2. Chapter 1: A Glimpse Into The Past

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Harry Potter. Nor do I own the characters created and conceived by JK Rowling and Warner Bros. However, I do own the characters Kalpita and Priya Weasley, along with the character Raj Khan, Furhad Mathur and any subsequent characters that have no past relation with the Harry Potter universe. I also have direction ownership of Ghara,the fictional city in India in which this story takes place.

CHAPTER I

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST

His chin hanging down nearly to his collarbone, Ron blinked his eyes once… twice… three times before clearing his throat and straightening up. Staring across the foyer at his dumbfounded friend, Harry grinned widely and said, "I know. I did the same thing when she surprised me with the news." With a laugh, Harry walked to Ron and embraced him like a brother. Ron rigidly and robotically fell into the embrace, his eyes unmoving from Ginny's round stomach.

"It's been far too long, Ron. I hardly know what you've been up to out here!" Harry let out with a very excited laugh. "But," he went on, walking to the strange woman who watched from several steps away, "it's always so wonderful to see Kalpita!" And with that, he embraced the woman as though he knew her like a sister.

"Kalpita, you continue to grow more and more beautiful every time we see each other," Ginny piped up after a long silence, walking to a bench near the doorway and wearily sitting down.

"You are very very beautiful too, sister Ginny," Kalpita exclaimed with a wide and most gorgeous smile from which Ron could hardly look away. Something inside of his stomach jumped up into his throat as he watched this woman in her movements, some feeling that he could not explain.

"No," Ginny interjected, laying her hands on her stomach, "I look fat!"

Sensing his gaze, Kalpita's eyes shifted to Ron in what seemed slow motion. As he watched her long black lashes blink over her chestnut eyes, he could not help but believe that an invisible and unfeeling wind was blowing the loose strands of the woman's long hair gently in a small halo around her. The wind came up and rustled her sari in a flowing wave, creating a cushion of air between her mahogany skin and the cloth. She was indescribably beautiful to him. She seemed more entrancing than Fleur and her silvery hair even.

A nervousness erupted in his stomach, and he broke away from her trance, scouting the area with his eyes for any open windows. There were none. There was no wind, no breeze, no draft. Yet, when he looked back at the Indian woman, every stray strand of hair, the soft linens of her sari, flowed in this imaginary wind that he could not blink away.

Once more, as he stared at the woman, something inside of him moved in excitement and fiery passion, and his mouth opened. He felt music flowing through his blood, and all he felt compelled to do was sing at the top of his lungs--to serenade this beautiful Indian enchantress that had captured his heart and his passion in the last few moments. A song of the moon and stars, their radiance and everlasting glow, passed into the realm of thought that compelled Ron to bow to one knee and sing.

But, just as he felt his knee begin to bend and the vibration of his vocal chords preparing to erupt into song, Kalpita spoke, "Ron, husband, tell sister Ginny you're happy for her, yaar!" The loving and passionate glance in her eyes told Ron that she knew what he was thinking, that she knew what he had almost done, and he inwardly sighed in relief at her rescue of him from almost certain embarrassment.

He quickly turned to his grown sister, opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes fell onto her round stomach. His open mouth fell into a silent gape, his brow twitching in astonishment and shock. Ginny's smile flickered at Ron's stupefied expression, and she reached hesitantly for Harry's hand, seeking some pillar of support. Was her brother upset with her?

"Ron?" Kalpita questioned, approaching her silent husband slowly and nervously. "Are you all right, darling?"

"Darling?" Ron echoed in confusion, shifting his gaze to the woman that now had a hand on his arm. As his eyes fell upon her face, they grew wide and traveled to her hands that rested just below his shoulder. "Who are you?"

Silence ensued, a heavy cloud that choked the very air they breathed. Was he jesting? Harry and Ginny stood frozen, their eyes fixed upon Ron, who only stared nervously at each of them, his left foot slowly turning inward in anxiety and discomfort. Kalpita looked very concerned as she gazed up at her tall husband. He refused to meet her glance, afraid that he would be compelled to do something as mad as singing. She had to have been a very powerful witch, to have put such a spell on him without use of a wand.

"You're not well, husband," Kalpita let out in concern, reaching up and touching his face gently with long, slender fingers. "Come, you must lie down, yaar." At this, she moved to guide him away further into the home.

As he walked along with her, he looked back at Harry, and silently mouthed, "Don't leave me!" At this command, Harry took Ginny by the hand and followed, his scarred brow furrowed in a mixture of concern and confusion.

As they followed the two into the next room, Harry and Ginny watched as Kalpita sat Ron down upon a wide sofa and said, "I'm going to get you some water, darling." With that, she disappeared through a doorway, her small feet brushing along the ceramic floor.

"Harry…" Ron let out with a whimper as he watched Kalpita go, "Harry…" His voice was a whisper, his eyes squinted in confusion and desperation. He let his red head fall back against the wall in a form of emotional surrender, and Harry took Ginny by the hand.

"Gin, darling, why don't you go and see if Kalpita needs assistance in the kitchen," he said softly, brushing her cheek with a gentle hand. "I would like to speak to Ron alone for a minute."

"Of course," she replied and sidled off happily, with a hand supporting her buckling back. Harry watched her go with a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. His eyes sparkled in love.

Walking to the sofa, Harry sat next to his friend and asked, "Ron, what's wrong, mate? Are you sick? What's happened?"

Ron, who had been staring blankly off out of a curtained window, moved his eyes slowly over to Harry and let his mouth slowly fall open. "That woman? Who is she?"

Letting out a laugh, Harry said, "I know that you like to tease, Ron, but this is getting somewhat ridiculous!" Ron only stared into his friend's eyes in a manner of helpless desperation, and Harry's laughter quickly subsided. "All right, I suppose I'll indulge you…" he let out, making a jest at Ron's play. "Kalpita is your wife, mate."

"And the girl?"

"You're daughter… Priya… She's getting very pretty, actually," Harry let out a chuckle. But Ron's panicky face made his smile fade, his eyes twinkling in a sudden realization. "Ron, what's happened?"

His eyes dodging Harry's concerned stare, Ron asked with a croak in his voice, "How long have we been married? How did we meet? Why am I in India? Where's Hermione?" His panic quickly escalated to an anxious fit as he shook his head, closing and opening his eyes as though to rid himself of the current situation.

"Uh--You've been married for about 7 years…" Harry let out hastily, stifling what revealed to be an onslaught of tears. Ron stared fearfully into Harry's eyes, green eyes that were forcing back hot tears. Something inside of Ron's stomach twitched, his throat caught as he saw a stray tear escape from the corner of Harry's eye.

"What about the rest, Harry? What's the rest?" Ron asked quietly and slowly, unsure of what to think. Inside, he only wished that he was dreaming. But the pain in his stomach and the comfort he felt as Harry placed a hand on his shoulder made him doubt that all was a dream.

"Uh--" Harry let out softly, biting down on his back teeth to push away those tears that were so evident in his eyes. "Why don't you talk to Kalpita, Ron? She knows the story better than I do."

"But I can't talk to Kalpita! I don't know Kalpita!" Ron nearly shouted. "Why must I be married to a woman I don't know! What happened, Harry?"

There was a pause as Harry regained what he could of his composure, and he asked, "Ron, you haven't been seeing some other woman, have you?"

"No! I would never betray Hermione's trust like that, Harry! Not even with Lavender, who has been getting sexier every day, mind you!" Ron let out in borderline anger.

Grabbing Ron by both shoulders, Harry held him hard and exclaimed, "What in the bloody hell are you talking about, Ron! We aren't in Hogwarts any more! We haven't been for years, mate. Why are you talking like you have no memory of the last fourteen years!"

"Because I have no memory of the last fourteen years!" Ron shouted in return, throwing Harry's arms away from him. "The last thing I remember was kissing Hermione goodnight and going to bed in our dormitory at Hogwarts. I am seventeen years old, and I'm Headboy. And I have my whole life to fulfill my dreams of playing Quidditch and working for the Ministry of Magic."

"Ron, listen to me," Harry said softly after a moment of silence. "You know as well as I do that there is no more Ministry of Magic. You know that, after the fall of Voldemort, a new dark wizard came out from the shadows. You know that he took over the Ministry and killed anyone who stood in his way on his rise to power." Harry's face was contorted and red-hot in rage as tears came back into his eyes. His voice grew quiet and irate as he continued, "After hiding behind his students for so many years, disguised as a caring, loving wizard… God, if I had known! I would have killed him!"

Ron's eyes asked the question that Harry obviously did not want to have answered. But Harry shook his head, asking, "You want me to say it, don't you? Why do you always like to bring this up, Ron? Why do you like to talk about it?"

"I just want to know," Ron whispered hesitantly.

"He hurt me too, Ron! Don't think that just because you were affected so outwardly doesn't mean that I wasn't affected too!" Harry was a mess of anger and tears as he spoke deliberately and intensely. "After all of those years, putting me into situations so that either I would kill Voldemort or else be killed… God, if I had known…!"

"Dumbledore?" An astonished whisper passed over Ron's lips, his eyes focusing in shock.

Harry looked intensely into his friend's eyes and nodded, whispering, "He tried to kill us, Ron."

"I'm in hiding," Ron realized aloud. "So that's why I'm here."

Harry shook his head, saying, "No, you're here because you fell in love with Kalpita. You wanted a new life, Ron, and with Kalpita that was possible."

Ron was about to speak, but he was interrupted when Ginny and Kalpita reentered the room. Kalpita sat next to Ron, giving him a glass of water. Ron gratefully took the drink and sipped from it. Ginny, spying Harry's discomfort and obvious distress, took him by the hand and lead him out of the room, saying, "Don't cry, darling."

Kalpita had taken Ron's hand, and was playfully stroking his long fingers. "Kalpita?" Ron inquired, looking over at her, afraid to let go of her hand and offend her. "How old is Priya?"

"Six years old, darling," she answered matter-of-factly. "Her birthday celebration is in a few weeks. I was wondering if we could hold a special feast for her here, in the big hall. She would just love to see her family and friends."

Nodding, Ron said, "That's fine. I'll invite my parents and siblings." At this, Kalpita looked strangely into his eyes, her own concerned and somber.

"I know you like to make jokes, yaar. But that wasn't funny, Ron," she said softly. There was a long pause as she seemed to withhold from crying herself, and then she sniffed and said, "Priya was outside the door a little bit ago. I caught her crying, but she wouldn't say anything to me."

"Oh, hell…" Ron groaned, rolling his eyes in frustration. "I'm sorry, Kalpita. I just… I don't feel well."

"Why was she crying, husband?" Kalpita inserted her question sternly and with the utmost concern. "She seemed frightened."

"Kalpita… you know, don't you?"

"Know what, Ron?"

"That I'm a wizard," he said hesitantly.

"What!" she almost shouted, putting her hands to her forehead in shock. "A wizard! What are you talking about?"

Growing upset with himself, Ron raised his hands to his mouth, unsure of how to calm her. His expression was of pure disbelief, but his anxiety quickly fell away as Kalpita burst into laughter. Putting a hand to his flushed cheeks, she said, "Of course I know. We crossed that bridge a long time ago, darling." And with that, she leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

Her hand went up and ruffled his hair in loving playfulness, and Ron arched an eyebrow as he stared into her eyes. This woman, whom he had never seen before today, was truly mesmerizing. "You're beautiful," he let out. Immediately, he clapped his hands over his mouth. He had no intention to speak those words, and even lesser intention to sing them. They had burst out of him in a soft, throaty melody.

"Oh, Ron," she said with a smile and a giggle, "always singing to me… Sometimes I wonder if you think in song!" And with that, she winked and took his now empty water glass back to the kitchen.


	3. Chapter 2: White Sneakers

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Harry Potter. Nor do I own the characters created and conceived by JK Rowling and Warner Bros. However, I do own the characters Kalpita and Priya Weasley, along with the character Raj Khan, Furhad Mathur and any subsequent characters that have no past relation with the Harry Potter universe. I also have direction ownership of Ghara,the fictional city in India in which this story takes place.

CHAPTER II

WHITE SNEAKERS

The setting sun outside of the wide window cast colors of orange and grey into the master bedroom, and the cool breeze stirred the white curtains in a swirl of ghostly movement. Playing with the ends of the lace curtains as they brushed up against his hands, Ron squinted his eyes thoughtfully out across the city below him. How old was this place, he speculated. It seemed to him like a picturesque version of ancient bazaars, minus the number of small vehicles that sat parked and steaming on the sides of the stone streets. He watched groups of people pass on the road below him, women hurrying home before the sun set with long purses slung over their shoulders. Several elderly men clothed in dark Kurtas stood near a lamppost, chatting amongst each other in rapid Hindi, all the while gesturing with active hands toward one another.

A young man caught his eye, and Ron shifted his gaze to him. The man, perhaps just in his early thirties, walked with a sort of hop-skip, dressed in a business suit the color of black with a pair of clashing white sneakers. His dark hair bounced along with his step as Ron continued to watch his movements. Stopping just a fathom from Ron's home, the man suddenly turned to look up at the large house. His eyes met with Ron's in what felt slow motion, and Ron nodded his head as though to say hello. The man raised his clapped hands to his chin and inclined himself into a half-bow. As Ron's eyes sparkled in bewilderment, he spotted something thin and ash-colored protruding from the pocket of the man's trousers. A wand?

The man's mahogany eyes followed Ron's gaze and he slowly withdrew the item from his pocket and waved it softly and gracefully through the air in front of him. Glittery light streamed from the tip of it and spelled into the air, "Namaste… Mere dost." The silvery words sparkled in the air for a few moments before disappearing in a gust of wind.

Smiling and arching an eyebrow, the man slipped the wand back into his pocket. Ron, unable to understand the words that had passed between them, shrugged his shoulders and tried in vain to signal that he had no idea what the man had just spelled out to him. The man only laughed, shook a teasing finger at him and turned to continue his stroll down the street.

Watching him for passing minutes, Ron felt unsure of how to feel about his small encounter with the Indian wizard. Who was he? Had they some past together?

Shaking off the feeling with a shrug of his shoulders, Ron turned when he heard the door to the room quietly open. Kalpita, meeting her husband's eyes, grinned shyly and closed the door behind her.

"Brother Harry is telling Priya stories downstairs on the patio," she said, her accent causing Ron to grin. "Ginny is resting. Her baby was very active this afternoon, she says." With that, she slowly walked to where Ron stood and stared up into his eyes with a loving reverence. After a long moment, she slowly bent down and touched his feet. Bringing her hand to her heart, she rose and looked curiously into Ron.

"What is it?" he asked, slightly uncomfortable with her curious and questioning gaze. "Are you all right?"

Her smile was flickering, as though she was struggling with some betraying thought. "I am fine," she whispered, putting her hand to the side of his face in wonderment. "Chotaa sa ladka…" The words escaped her lips in hardly a whisper before she bowed her head and smiled.

"What does that mean?" he asked softly. She quickly stared back up at him, her eyes boring into his, unsure of him in a way. Tears lingered behind them for a moment, but she quickly took a breath and replaced her hidden tears with a small smile.

"My little boy…" she whispered, running a hand through his bangs in a soft caress. "How can you ask me that after so many years? Have you forgotten so quickly?" Watching her as she stared at her fingers as they played with his hair, Ron knew nothing of what he should have said. She seemed hurt by something that he could not see. After a moment, she asked, "Who is she?"

There was a long pause in which Ron slowly took Kalpita's hand into the two of his and brought them to his chest, resting there… waiting. "Who?" he asked after a long silence.

"The woman who has been in your thoughts all this day," she answered quietly. "I have accepted that it is not me… Your strange behavior must be due to someone else."

Ron thought for a moment. He did not want to tell her that he could not stop thinking about two women the entirety of the day. Kalpita and Hermione had occupied his thoughts, overriding his confusion, for hours. When he thought of one, he automatically thought of the other. Where was Hermione? He wondered. What was it that Harry had not told him? And what of Kalpita? Had he fallen in love with her and out of love with his best friend Hermione? His thoughts had never been so occupied with thoughts of love and heartbreak. After all, he was only seventeen, and there were too many other things to care about in his life. Like the Quidditch team, for example. When he had gone to sleep, they were two victories away from winning the Cup. And there were his classes, and Draco, and Snape. His worries and passions never extended further than the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Anything further away, beside the threat of Voldemort, had no concern for him nor he for them. Never in his life had he ever contemplated the troubles of… love? Was it love?

And this woman whose hand he held to his chest, staring into her dark eyes…? He searched his memory strenuously for any passing image of her, for anything regarding her, but he found nothing. His mind was a white-blank after his goodnight kiss to Hermione and pulling the sheets over his head for sleep. Had someone cast a memory charm on him? Why was he here? Why did he have so many questions and no one to answer them properly?

And suddenly his thoughts fell on the wizard in the white sneakers on the street below the window.

"Kalpita, do we know any wizards?" he asked suddenly and abruptly. His wife's face fell when he failed to address her concern. But, in an effort to please him, she slowly nodded her head. "Who? Who?" he asked urgently.

Leaving his hand, she took a small step away, her head lowered as she answered, "We know brother Harry, sister Ginny, brother George, Shrimaan Neville, Shrimaan Raj, and…"

"Raj?" he interrupted. "Who's Raj?"

Growing upset, Kalpita said, "Ron, this really isn't funny any more. Stop acting like you have no clue who you are, and just be Ron again!" Her frustration was hot in the flush of her cheeks, and Ron bit his lower lip, unsure of how to explain. He knew that if he tried once again to tell her the truth, she would most likely grow upset with him. So, he simply stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers and stared hard into the carpet of the floor. He stood there for long minutes, his hair hanging down into his eyes, his left foot inclining inward on the toes, a nervous habit. Seeing his obvious discomfort and blatant confusion, Kalpita let out a sigh and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong, Ron? You seem strange all day." Her words came out softly, with a tone of sympathy and compassion.

"Kalpita," Ron let out after a long pause, his voice quiet and quivering. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Smiling, her eyes sparkling, she said, "Oh, I doubt that, Piya." Ron blinked. What did she call him? "Mujhe Batao. As long as you tell me to take you serious, yaar."

Taking her hands, he led her to the foot of the bed. Motioning for her to take a seat, Ron slowly sank down onto the bed next to her, shifting his feet uncomfortably against the carpet. "Kalpita, please, I am completely serious. What I am about to tell you is going to make me sound completely mad, but you must believe me," Ron began, his nervousness escalating. Kalpita's face grew serious in Ron's somber and nervous manner. "I have no inkling of who I am, where I am, or what I've done. I can't remember anything."

A long silence followed, in which Kalpita stared hard into Ron's eyes, an effort to determine whether or not what he spoke was true. Her copper eyes sparkled in the light of the setting sun as they flashed back and forth between her husband's two eyes. "Nothing?" she asked after a long silence, her eyes unmoving from his. Ron only stared into her in return before he slowly nodded his head.

Tears lingered on the edge of Kalpita's long lashes, and Ron felt his stomach turn in a mixture of pity and empathy. "I saw a man, a few moments ago," Ron began quietly as Kalpita put her forehead to their clasped hands, tears streaming over Ron's fingertips, "and he seemed strangely familiar to me. He had dark hair that was thick and bouncy. Er… he was dark and somewhat short. Maybe a little taller than you. He was wearing a black suit and--"

"White shoes," Kalpita completed his statement in a whisper.

Putting his hands to her cheeks, Ron asked, "You know who I am talking about?" He felt her smooth skin on his hands, and a familiar comfort pulsed up his arms and into his heartbeat. He knew immediately that this beautiful woman was no dream.

"Ha," she replied in a breath. "Yes, I do. He is our good friend. After Brother Harry married your sister, he became your very best friend. His name is Raj Khan. You two are very close."

"Really? Maybe he knows what has happened to me. He must know. That would explain the--" and Ron shook his finger in an imitation of the man. He was growing very excited. Something inside of him told him that he could find the answers, but as his excitement intensified, he suddenly became aware of Kalpita.

She was in a state of utter distress. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks, and her hands were shaking as they sat folded in her lap. Immediately, Ron's heart dropped into his stomach, his face fell, and his shoulders drooped.

"I'm so sorry, Kalpita," Ron whispered, staring at his hands in his lap. "I had no idea how this might affect you. I can't believe---I'm so idiotic."

"That's why you didn't stop me from touching your feet," she whispered, tears pouring from her eyes. "That's why you seemed so cold…. You don't remember. Nahi… You don't remember me."

"I'll fix this, Kalpita," Ron replied quickly, his voice determined. Reaching forward, he took her hands slowly into his, and he said, "I'll remember you." Placing his hand on her chin, he moved her to look into his eyes. Immediately upon locking eyes with her, he felt a welling of restlessness inside of his chest, and he whispered, "I promise you." Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, leaving behind crooked streaks that made her skin look even darker than what it was. Moving both hands to the sides of her face, Ron used his thumbs to wipe away the tears, and he repeated, "I promise you."

A split second later, there came a soft knock to the door. Jolting slightly in surprise, Ron stared as Kalpita hesitantly stood and walked across the room to the door. Pulling it open, she also wiped her tears away in a manner that was both sad and strong at the same time. "Namaste, Harry," Kalpita greeted with her hands clapped in front of her chin.

Ron heard Harry reply, "Namaste, Kalpita. Is Ron here? I think he and I need to discuss a few things."

"Certainly," Kalpita replied with a nod and opened the door fully, motioning for Ron to stand. Rising to his feet, Ron waited as Harry entered and Kalpita closed the door. "May I remain?" she asked after a moment, and Harry nodded in reply.

Walking to the foot of the bed, Kalpita sat, adjusting her sari nervously, hiding her sorrow with strong shoulders and somber chin. Ron continued to stand and stared over at Harry with a mixture of fear and relief in his eyes. His heart was beating hard and erratically against his ribcage, and he felt his stomach heave as he awaited Harry's next words. The strength that flowed from Kalpita's presence gave Ron courage as he walked slowly to his wife and sat next to her on the foot of the bed. This woman gave him a sense of stability, a comfort that he could not explain. He wanted to be as close to her as possible, and yet… his heart yearned for more. His thoughts alternated between Kalpita and Hermione as though they were the same person to him. His love for Hermione made him wish to stay close to Kalpita. He did not understand this feeling, and could not understand it though he fought hard to discern its meaning.

Harry, seeming nervous and apprehensive, paced to the window and sat down upon the wide sill, running his hand through his black mess of hair. "Ron," he said softly, fighting to think of the perfect words. "I've been thinking quite a lot, mate, and I just need to ask you a few questions."

"You need to know something, Harry," Kalpita somberly spoke from her place next to Ron. Harry immediately focused his stare upon her, seeming relieved to have strayed from his current train of thought. "Ron has no memory of the last fourteen years. He remembers only Hogwarts, yaar?" This she turned into a question, which she in turn directed at Ron. Ron nodded, his attitude anxious and uncomfortable as he awaited Harry's response.

There was a long silence as Harry looked from one to the other, his bright green eyes discerning and analyzing the gravity of the situation. "I thought that might be it," he finally let out in a sigh. Shaking his head, he reached into the pocket of his khaki trousers and withdrew his wand. Staring at it for long minutes, Harry let out a set of sighs, his eyes twinkling in thought behind his glasses. "Do you think it was a memory charm, perhaps?" Harry asked aloud, although he did not look up to indicate that his question was directed to Ron. Rather, he seemed to be talking to the strip of wood in his hands, as though the answers could be found in the patterns on the wand. "Should we try and relieve you of your forgotten memories?" he questioned once more, his eyes unmoving from the wand he held.

Kalpita looked to Ron, who stared incredulously at Harry, his brow knitted just above his nose. Out of habit, she reached up and fondled with his hair, running it between her slender fingers. Ron did not move at her touch. His eyes were fixed upon Harry as he discerned the situation.

"What do you think, Ron?" Harry finally looked up at his friend, his eyes sparkling. Ron only stared down at his hands, thinking.

Silence.

The ring of the telephone made all of them let out a gasp of surprise. Springing to her feet, Kalpita rushed to the bureau on the wall near the window and retrieved the telephone that rang from its place on the dresser top. Holding it to her ear, she greeted, "Ha." Her voice was sharp, quick, yet soft and delicate at the same time. Ron was amazed as he watched her listen to the voice on the line. Nodding, she said, "Ha, Raj."

Pacing to Ron, she held out the phone to him and said, "It's Raj. He wants to speak with you." Ron slowly took the receiver into his hands as Kalpita glanced at Harry and muttered, "About bloody time, yaar."

Hesitantly, Ron put the phone to his ear, uncomfortable and altogether unsure of what he was actually doing. "HELLO?" he nearly shouted into the mouthpiece. Immediately a voice came over through the part next to his ear, and it made Ron jump back in surprise.

"Hey, Ron. You still don't like using the phone, so I'll make this fast," the voice said. It was a smooth, confident voice that held no margin for error. "I saw Furhad this evening, and he said he saw you picking up Priya from her aunt's home after you left your work. He said you didn't look well at all, yaar. I was just calling to check on you, to see if everything was working all right. Everything turned out right, correct?"

Ron simply sat there, frozen to his seat as he listened to the silence over the line. His mouth hung open slightly, and his eyes squinted in confusion as they stared off into nothing.

"Ron?" the voice asked. "Kahan ho?"

"I'm here," he replied in a half-daze. "Who are you?"

There was laughter on the other end. Silly laughter, separated by the clapping of hands. "You are always so funny, Ron. You surely did not forget your sense of humor, did you?" The voice giggled for a few minutes before his laughter settled down to be replaced with an inquiry. "Ron? Is everything all right?" Silence. "Ron?"

"I'm sorry. What did you say your name was again? Raj? Was it Raj?"

The silence that ensued was deathly, broken only by Raj's sighs from the other end. It was obvious that he was analyzing Ron's voice to determine if he was jesting… or worse, being completely serious. His troubled sighs hoped for nothing more than a joke. But the silence that spread over the line spoke otherwise. "Ron, what do you remember?" Raj questioned after a very anxious silence.

"Er…" Ron muttered, letting his eyes stare out of the window to the sun as it barely peeked over the horizon. "How old am I again? Thirty-one? Right then. I can remember my seventeenth birthday, being Head Boy, a few other minor things at Hogwarts, and kissing Hermione goodnight. After that…" Ron went silent, trailing off in a half-whine, half-laugh. Another long silence ensued. And then from the other end:

"Shit."

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Author's Note: Coming up, questions are answered, but confusion is only replaced with desperation, disbelief, and of course, lots of giggles. We shall finally meet Raj formally and take a look into Harry's secret penseive. Get ready for time travel, a few tears perhaps, and of course much more laughter. Stay tuned for more adventures from Mera Naam Ron Weasley Hai!


End file.
